11/23/2016

Cover Letters - In a Lousy Mood, Wait to Customize Pattern Pitches

We now know: Even the supposed stable folks have mood fluctuations. Research has provided evidence that there is a regular cycling of how we humans feel and, therefore, see our little worlds.

When we are cycling in negative emotional territory, that's not the right time to respond to help-wanted ads by customizing our pattern letters. The downbeat or even hostile tone will seep through.

I know.

For about a six-week period in the New York Metro area my cover letters were getting no response. Actually, that in itself signaled me that I was in bad space.

So, I got serious about putting together a concrete plan to relocate to a less-expensive location. After all, a growing amount of my client work was through telecommuting.

As soon as I took that leap into a solution I invested more energy in the cover letters. The rest is history. Within three months I earned enough to finance my move to the Southwest.

The holidays, of course, can flip us onto the emotional roller-coaster. That means we have to assess our mood before we sit down and get serious about how to differentiate that particular pattern cover letter for that very specific opportunity. If we are low or high, then it's best to focus on some other task associated with our search for work.

I had been doing well in mastering my moods since September 1st of this year. That's when I figured out that the Southwest setting had served me well. So well, that it was time to move back east (although not the $3,000-rentals of the New York Metro area). Here in eastern Ohio, my marketing communications, including cold emailing, proved to be on the money.

Then, the holiday blues emerged this morning. I stopped the outreach. From experience I know that can be a dangerous state of mind. I also know what can change the channel on that mood. At the top of the list is to get up from the laptop.

My four-footer son and I are heading out. We'll be back when Mommy can do what it takes to attract new assignments.

A cover letter which is off will not only not bring us to the next step in the hunt for work. That is, the interview or request for more information. It actually can erode our confidence in being able to navigate this volatile economy.

The world has changed. Contact Jane Genova for complimentary consultation to get the competitive edge in your marketing communications (janegenova374@gmail.com).